Paracord types (MIL-C-5040 Type I to IV, 95 / 325 / 550 cord): diameter, inner strands and breaking strength — dimension sheet Source: Xem Studio, https://xemstudio.com/objects/paracord-types-mil-c-5040/ (sheet CC BY 4.0) Basis: Paracord Planet size table (commercial cords), Wikipedia, Titan Survival and Paracord Planet blog for the MIL-C-5040 types; numbers only Catalog version: 2026-10-20 Sizes: see table below - Two different things share the names: MIL-C-5040 is the U.S. military specification for parachute cord (Type I, IA, II, IIA, III, IV), defined by minimum breaking strength and the number of core yarns; commercial 'paracord' (95, 275, 325, 425, 550, 750, 850 cord) is named for its breaking strength in pounds and is sold by many makers. MIL-C-5040H was inactivated in 1997 (Wikipedia); Parachute Industry Association standards continue it. - The MIL-C-5040 rows (type, minimum strength, core yarns, sheath) are from Wikipedia, which agrees with Titan Survival's spec table and the Paracord Planet blog on the strengths: Type I 95 lb, IA 100, II 400, IIA 225, III 550, IV 750. The spec does not set an overall diameter; the only diameters in those sources are Wikipedia's 'about 4 mm (5/32 in)' for military Type III and 'about 3 mm (1/8 in)' for commercial Type III (commercial cord typically has two fibres per core yarn where military has three). - Diameter, inner strands and breaking strength of the commercial cords are from Paracord Planet's size table (one shop, its own products): 95 cord 0.07 in / 1.75 mm with 1 inner strand; 325 cord 0.12 in / 3 mm with 3 strands; 550 cord 0.16 in / 4 mm with 7 strands. Paracord Planet labels 325 and 425 'Type II' and 275 'Type II', which is a loose use: Type II's spec minimum is 400 lb, so a 325 cord (325 lb) does not meet Type II as Wikipedia prints it; the two are both shown. Strands: Paracord Planet counts 'inner strands'; the specification counts core yarns (Type III: 7 to 9), so 7 is within the range. Cord of the same name from other makers can differ in diameter and strand count. - 'Paracord 550' is thus a strength class, not a size: a 550 cord from another maker can be 3 mm (Wikipedia) or 4 mm. Use the table for the maker you buy from. - No STEP/STL: cord is a plain cylinder of no fixed length. Rope: double-braid-rope-polyester-nylon-diameters; shock cord: bungee-shock-cord-diameters-and-hooks. cord type class (Paracord Planet) diameter (in) diameter (mm) inner strands / core yarns breaking strength Nano (commercial name, Paracord Planet) — 0.03 0.75 0 36 lb Micro (commercial name, Paracord Planet) — 0.05 1.18 0 100 lb Micro 90 (commercial name, Paracord Planet) — 0.05 1.2 0 100 lb 95 (commercial name, Paracord Planet) type I 0.07 1.75 1 95 lb 275 (commercial name, Paracord Planet) type II 0.09 2.38 5 275 lb 325 (commercial name, Paracord Planet) type II 0.12 3 3 325 lb 425 (commercial name, Paracord Planet) type II 0.12 3 3 425 lb 550 (commercial name, Paracord Planet) type III 0.16 4 7 550 lb 650 Coreless (commercial name, Paracord Planet) type II 0.20 5 0 300 lb 750 (commercial name, Paracord Planet) type IV 0.16 4 11 750 lb 850 (commercial name, Paracord Planet) type IV 0.18 4.5 8 850 lb Battle (commercial name, Paracord Planet) type IV 0.22 5.6 7 2,650 lb 1/4 in Para-Max (commercial name, Paracord Planet) type IV 0.25 6.35 3 1,200 lb 5/16 in Para-Max (commercial name, Paracord Planet) type IV 0.31 7.94 3 3,000 lb MIL-C-5040 Type I — not set by the spec not set by the spec 1 core yarns 95 lb minimum (sheath 16/1) MIL-C-5040 Type IA — not set by the spec not set by the spec none core yarns 100 lb minimum (sheath 16/1) MIL-C-5040 Type II — not set by the spec not set by the spec 4 to 7 core yarns 400 lb minimum (sheath 32/1 or 36/1) MIL-C-5040 Type IIA — not set by the spec not set by the spec none core yarns 225 lb minimum (sheath 32/1 or 36/1) MIL-C-5040 Type III — not set by the spec not set by the spec 7 to 9 core yarns 550 lb minimum (sheath 32/1 or 36/1) MIL-C-5040 Type IV — not set by the spec not set by the spec 11 core yarns 750 lb minimum (sheath 32/1, 36/1 or 44/1) Files elsewhere (not hosted by Xem Studio; license as stated by the publisher): - Paracord Planet: Paracord sizes: type, class, breaking strength, inner strands, diameter (in / mm) for Nano to 5/16 in Para-Max — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://www.paracordplanet.com/paracord-sizes - Paracord Planet: Paracord strength, sizes and types: MIL-C-5040 types I, IA, II, IIA, III, IV minimum breaking strength — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://www.paracordplanet.com/blog/paracord-strength-sizes-and-types - Wikipedia: Parachute cord: MIL-C-5040 types I to IV (strength, core yarns, sheath), MIL-C-5040H inactivated 1997, Type III diameter about 4 mm (military) / 3 mm (commercial) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parachute_cord - Titan Survival: Types of paracord: MIL-C-5040-H types I, IA, II, IIA, III, IV with core strands and breaking strength — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://TITANSurvival.com/blogs/survival-tips/types-of-paracord - McMaster-Carr: Nylon rope (free STEP/IGES per part, for your own design use; no redistribution) — STEP, IGES, PDF — McMaster-Carr site terms: personal design use, no redistribution [verify license at link] — https://www.mcmaster.com/products/nylon-rope No true-size file yet: the published figures do not fix the whole shape; a measured scan is planned. API: https://xemstudio.com/api/geometry?object=paracord-types-mil-c-5040